Camp season is officially back at Nebraska. The Huskers hosted their first Friday Night Lights camp on Friday. The yearly tradition is back after a break in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There were several young prospects on hand working out for the coaches. In addition, the Huskers’ first group of official visitors made an appearance at the event as they were being shown around campus.
Here are my five thoughts on the event.
Official visitor news and notes
It’s been more than a year since we have seen visitors on Nebraska’s campus. It was nice to see players being hosted and taking in the sights. Quarterback Richard Torres was around Adrian Martinez for a large portion of the event. Justin Williams, the 4-star running back from Georgia, appeared to get hosted by fellow Georgian Gabe Ervin Jr. Williams and Ervin are very similar in size standing next to each other. I observed every Husker receiver, quarterback and offensive coach approach Texas wideout Landon Samson, too. Everyone was engaged in making the official visitors feel welcomed.
Nice to have the action back
The Friday Night Lights camp series has a special place in Husker recruiting. There have been several memorable moments in years past. The fan base generally looks forward to the event, too. It was a welcome sight to have the camp back with players getting instruction during drills from players and coaches. The camp marks the unofficial kickoff to the summer.
Smaller camp than previous years
One of the things that was striking about this first Friday Night Lights camp is that it seemed to have a smaller turnout than previous years. That sounds like a reason for concern, but it’s not. There are a few factorst. The Lindenwood megacamp is being held this weekend. There are several teams in attendance at that camp, so it makes sense kids would want to get to that one. Also, there is a trickle-down effect from the private workouts that can be done this summer. A lot of prospects that would have normally camped Friday night worked out earlier in the day. Still, the camp was great for younger prospects like 2023 Lincoln East wide receiver Malachi Coleman and 2023 Lincoln High wide receiver Beni Ngoyi.
Offers from camp and workouts
One of the best things about camp season is seeing the new scholarship offers being earned by players. There was a trio of new offers that went out from Nebraska on Friday. Iowa Western defensive lineman Jordan Van Den Berg was offered after having a strong private workout with the coaching staff. That’s also how Colorado offensive lineman John Pastore picked up his offer.
Then, at the Friday Night Lights camp, 2023 Lincoln Southeast offensive lineman Gonnar Gottula (6-6, 270) was offered by Nebraska.
After a great talk with @coach_frost, I’m excited to announce I’ve earned an offer to the University of Nebraska 🌽 pic.twitter.com/Z9ugADC0Pr
— Gunnar Gottula ⁷⁷ (@GottulaGunnar) June 5, 2021
There are going to be several offers that come from camps and workouts this month.
Ben Brahmer stood out
The best player on the field Friday night may have been the Huskers’ 2023 tight end commit. Standing at 6-foot-5, he’s got a big catch radius and moves well. He performed well in drills while getting a chance to be coached up by his future coach Sean Beckton. He and his parents got a chance to talk to coach Scott Frost on the field after the camp. Brahmer is also already doing some peer recruiting for the Huskers.
You know the move. Gbr!!🔴⚪️ https://t.co/yypXfyFutd
— Benjamin Brahmer (@BenjaminBrahmer) June 5, 2021